Life Esidimeni death toll over 100: Health ombud
The death toll linked to the Life Esidimeni tragedy has increased to more than 100 fatalities.
Health Ombusdman, Malegapuru Makgoba, says the figure increased after more affected people came forward.
He's been briefing Parliament's portfolio committee on health this morning - on the report into the circumstances surrounding the deaths of the so-called "Esidimeni 94".
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Makgoba announced earlier this month that 94 mentally-ill patients died last year - after being transferred from Life Esidimeni in Gauteng to numerous NGOs in the province.
He says that from the data he's been receiving - the current death toll stands at over 100 patients.
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"Life Esidimeni told everybody that their calculation is eight people die a month. The point we have to make is that at the time of my investigation - four or five months before the end of the year - we already had reached what could be reached at Life Esidimeni in a full year," he said.
The patients deaths has led to widespread criticism. Gauteng Health MEC, Qedani Mahlangu, resigned before Makgoba released his findings in January.